Prevalence and characteristics of autistic children attending autism centres in 2 major cities in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence and characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)-affected children attending autistic centers in 2 major cities in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study, including ASD centers and schools (37 centers) in Makkah and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was conducted between January and March 2020. Data were collected from records and parents of children with ASD using a questionnaire on sociodemographic, family history, consanguinity, severity, and maternal risk factors. RESULTS: All centers in Makkah and Jeddah participated, with a total of 1,023 ASD children. The prevalence of ASD was 2.618 per 1,000 children for Jeddah, 3.68 per 1,000 children for Makkah and 2.81 per 1,000 children for both Jeddah and Makkah. There was no statistically significant relationship between the severity of ASD and sociodemographic, family and maternal risk factors. However, there was statistically significant relationship between severe ASD and ASD family history (p=0.029, OR: 3.46 and 95% CI 1.14 to 10.5). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of ASD in Makkah and Jeddah was lower than the global prevalence of ASD. Individuals with a family history of ASD were more likely to have more severe ASD.